Rihanna wanted to make dad proud with namesake Puma collection

Fashion-forward pop star Rihanna gave her new Puma collection her family name to honor her father.

The Diamonds singer unveiled her Fenty x Puma line at a star-studded New York Fashion Week show on Friday (12Feb16), when guests included supermodel Naomi Campbell, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, rapper Tyga and his girlfriend Kylie Jenner, and Rihanna's rumored boyfriend Travis Scott.

The Bajan beauty, who was appointed the sports giant's creative director in 2014, was overcome with pride at the success of the big launch.

"I'm on cloud nine," she gushed to the New York Times after the Up & Down nightclub runway presentation. "I cannot put into words how I feel about what happened tonight."

Rihanna, real name Robyn Rihanna Fenty, went on to reveal she wanted to celebrate her dad, Ronald Fenty, by turning their last name into a global brand.

"It's crazy," she exclaimed, of seeing their surname up in lights. "Even to look at it right now. I think it's a little more subtle when you look at it in Japanese, but when it's right there in English, it's surreal.

"It makes me think of my dad and how proud he must be. It's his name. He grew up with this name. Now it's a name that's on an international brand."

Rihanna reveals she was taken aback when Puma bosses first approached her to join forces, but she jumped at the chance to channel her creativity for the new range. She was also thrilled with the way Puma creators were willing to embrace her ideas, no matter the cost.

"They spend the money and they make sure that they try the best to make it what I want," she explained. "And then they let me know the ramifications that come with that. 'OK, Ri, it looks cute but it costs four grand. Do you want to do that...?' And of course I never wanted to do that. I actually want people to wear my stuff."

"The only thing that can make me feel better than tonight is to see somebody else wearing my stuff on the street," she continued. "Down the street, on Instagram... To see anybody, especially if I think they're cool, and they chose to wear it, that's a big deal. That's a big deal. Like somebody buying your music. But better. Because they have to do it in public."